Amid SL heat, Indian envoy to Geneva recalled

India on Monday asked its envoy in Geneva to return to the country for consultations on the US resolution on Sri Lanka, the IANS reported.

Dilip Sinha, ambassador and permanent representative of India to the UN in Geneva, will be in New Delhi on Tuesday to brief the government on the resolution, external affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said. The issue has gained urgency with political parties and activists in Tamil Nadu urging the government to back the resolution — like last year — and even amend it to denounce Colombo for the "genocide" of Tamils.

The resolution is expected to come up for voting at the 47-member UNHRC session in Geneva March 21. The foreign ministry spokesman said that the resolution in the final form will be available late this evening, Geneva time. "We will hold consultations on the matter, and he (Indian envoy to Geneva) will be able to brief senior officials on the ground level realities in Geneva and the latest position," he added.

Asked what position India was likely to take on the resolution, the spokesperson said a call would be taken after the final text was available and the arrival of their ambassador from Geneva. Asked if New Delhi favoured the word "genocide", he said the government would "cross that bridge when we come to it".

With the DMK, which has 18 MPs, threatening to end its support to the United Progressive Alliance if India remained soft vis-a-vis Sri Lanka, the government sent three senior ministers to Chennai to meet Karunanidhi.

The resolution is expected to come up for voting at the 47member UNHRC session in Geneva March 21